It was well into the night, and the group was still arguing.
"We just go in and blast everything, save the damsels and call it a day," Tony took a sip from his mug. "Simple as that."
"And what if your armor does not work?" Steve looked at him. "We've discussed this, it is not going to work."
"They cannot be left there for dead," Thor growled. He had a plan to get them back but no one was listening to him. There were some flaws but it was the best he could give.
There was silence between them, Loki took this to his advantage. "There is a way," he finally spoke with a half smile. "We will soon be upon the hour when he rests, and all hope is lost."
"And what bag of tricks does Loki have?" Tony crossed his arms.
"None," Loki shrugged. "The darkness will be our disguise, and the silence our sound. We will not storm the castle, but travel through hidden passages. I have already been in his domain to know where most of his secrets lie."
"Who's we?" Tony inclined an eyebrow.
"Brother, tis a great plan," Thor patted his back. He automatically thought he was going with him since Thor always took Loki with him on quests."We shall get them back in no time."
"You're not coming Thor," Loki looked to him. "Clint is." Thor was taken back by this. Though he should have known that Loki did not want to do much with him since Loki still felt trouble between the two.
"Brother no," Thor commanded. "You are still a prisoner."
"I do what I want, Thor," Loki stood his ground. He would not let his brother get in the way of what he knows must be done.
"He's not your minion anymore," Tony grumbled. "You can't just order him around again."
"No, he's right," Clint spoke up.
"Oh, so you are his minion again," Tony sat up to look at him.
"Tony," Steve warned. He looked over to Clint.
"If all of us go, our cover is blown," Clint continued. "The two us of can get in and out quickly. We should leave now."
Loki nodded his head. The two left with the others following behind them. Thor came with to see them off. There was nothing he could really do but try to trust Loki was doing the right thing.
Back at the castle, Malekith had visited once again and was about to inflict pain upon Natasha. His anger towards Loki and the Avengers run savaged. He was getting impatient for the to come and rescue them. Sigyn stepped in and diverted all of his anger onto herself. Sigyn was thrown into small tables and walls. She was then thrown upon the bed. There he presumed her vulnerable. He closed in on her and proceed to try to kiss and touch her. Parts of his body singed at her touch but he took pleasure in the pain. Sigyn let him only to grab the dagger he had hidden in his armor and try to aim for his heart. As she tried, she was then drained of her stamina and energy as he kept putting more jewels upon her.
"Tis will be a pleasure to tame you time and time again," Malekith took the dagger away from her. He then got off the bed and headed towards Natasha. "And it will be pleasure unleashing all of my fury onto you." He slapped Natasha to the ground.
Sigyn sat up with her strength and called to him. "How willst thou ever have anything good when thy break it so?" Malekith turned back to face her. Her eyes taunted him to hit her again. She did not want the abuse go to Natasha who did not deserve any of it. Sigyn was all three and all of his anger was to all of them.
"My touch on others jealous thee?" Malekith came back to her. He was close to touching her, but stopped. "Is thine lady is ravenous?" She nodded her head. He left then suddenly.
"Hide into the other chamber," Sigyn commanded. As she did, Sigyn positioned herself in an alluring matter. Natasha watched through the crack of the doorway. Natasha couldn't let Sigyn take all of the rage Malekith gave.
When Malekith came back with a silver tray of fruit he smiled at her presence and how she willingly made herself available to him.
"Hath thee no name for such a maiden?" He walked slowly up to the bed. She didn't say anything. "Pity, though a name shall be given. Something alluring for a Frost Giantess, though I wonder what doth looks like when Asguardian." He set the tray down and walked to her side. Malekith sat down and his hands trailed her legs to her thighs. His hands this time gloved. His lips moved upon her shoulders and towards her neck. Sigyn did not move. His hands then went to her face tracing the soft lines marking her face. One of his fingers got close to her mouth. She tried to bite it off. Malekith then grabbed her neck.
"Ah ah ahhh!" He growled in delight. He then kissed her mouth hard. "This will be the last of the treacheries that your lips shall spill." He took out jewels that matched the rest and placed it like a veil from her nose down. It was webbed and reached down to her chin. It tucked behind her ears. "You must not try such filth, I am not afraid to have a queen with no teeth." With that he got up and left, slamming the door behind him.
Sigyn stayed in the alluring stance. She felt that it was the only way to keep his anger and hands off of Natasha. Though when his hands and lips roamed upon her, she was strong enough to handle it; even though it disgusted every fiber of her being. She wanted to cry, to hurt him, and to hide away from him.
An hour or so it had seemed passed by. Loki and Clint had found a passage to the chamber maids room. The two opened the secret door. Loki was the first one to walk through. Natasha attacked him, though it was only an image of him. She instead attacked Clint who fought back.
"Is this how you greet your rescuers?" Clint had a hold of her. Natasha looked at him fully and breathed a sigh. She twisted into him to fully hug him. "Well, we should start fighting like this all the time." Natasha laughed as he hugged her back.
Loki went past them and headed to the door to the main chamber. As he opened it, Sigyn looked over that way with warning eyes, she did not want the full rage upon Natasha. Loki stepped out of the door and drifted his eyes upon her. He had not seen such beauty. Sigyn was a mix of emotions. She was so happy to see his stern calculating figure looming over her in a protective stance. She was also mad and sad that he was here. She was to rescue him from his turmoil not him rescue her. It made herself feel such disappointment in herself.
"Enchantress," he smirked as she spotted him with her eyes. She was growing weaker by the second. "Alluring. Divine. Exquisite. Ethereal. Hauntingly beautiful. Words could go on to describe how you descend upon this bed." He viewed the jewelry she adorned with curiosity.
"His way of keeping her chained," Natasha came in. Loki looked to her then back to Sigyn. Her eyelids fanned slow to agree with Natasha. "She is unable to speak, use her strength, or powers. She is also unable to take off the jewels. Once they are put on, the only way to take them off is having him do it or she perceives using the red flame. This is his way for her to try to show the other side of the flame. She won't though."
Loki chuckled as if he already knew. "Not until you made sure and everyone else is safe. Do you not want to be saved?" Sigyn looked away from him. "Oh come on now. Tis pleasant to be rescued. I hear that is what everyone wants to happen to you." He knew that she did not like to be saved. He could not help but tease her. "I will not leave you here, unlike what you are wanting to think." Sigyn still did not look at him. Loki then went into the other chamber and came back with two cloaks. He tossed one to Natasha and went back the bed to face her sight. "You can only look away for so long." Sigyn finally stared up at him. "Now is the time-" Sigyn then looked to the main door and back to him.
"-He's coming," Natasha spoke. Clint pulled Natasha back into the chamber, closing the door behind him. Loki pressed his finger to his lips. He walked into the shadows vanishing.
The door opened and Malekith walked in. "Your food will waste if you do not eat." He strides over to her. Loki watched from the shadows. "And so will you." His fingers caressed the side of her cheek. She looked up and away from him. "I know you know how to break free, yet you choose to stay caged." He laughed. "A few more errands, and the dawning of togetherness will be upon us. Your friends will not come and save you. When they do it will be too late." He then got up and slapped her. Sigyn did nothing but watch him leave. Malekith left laughing. He knew that he was slowly breaking her down. Sigyn stared at the door for a few seconds before looking to where Loki had vanished.
Loki came out of the shadows. He looked as if he was having an inner battle with himself. "We leave now," he swooped the cape around her and buttoned it at her neck hastily. He placed the hood upon her and scooped her up into his arms the next second. Natasha and Clint had theirs on. Clint put Loki's on him quickly. Loki accidently touched the skin of and his skin changed to blue. Natasha quickly pulled Clint away.
"Do not touch them," she whispered. Loki quickly fixed his cloak with one hand to drape over Sigyn. He then went through the the chamber and through the passages with Natasha and Clint following in behind.
Once away, the went through the forest and were about to go through the portal when Sigyn tried to get out of his clutches. Loki stopped and tried to make sure she was still in his grasp. She then used some of her strength that she could to close the portal. Loki and the others rushed through it before it closed completely on them. A helicopter was there waiting for them. It was the one Clint flew. The three got in quickly. Natasha and Clint threw off their cloaks and headed for the cockpit, starting up the helicopter. Loki took of his cloak and sat down with Sigyn still in his arms. He let her legs stretch out. He could see that she was on her last ounce of energy before passing out.
The helicopter raised and headed back for the Helicarrier.
"You look nice," Clint spoke into the headset.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Don't even get me started."
Clint laughed and smiled. "How are they doing?"
Natasha looked back to them then back to Clint and then to the window. "They seem to be doing fine."
"I won't let this count on saving you twice now," Clint teased her.
"I'd say its even, without telling you Malekith was coming, we'd all been dead," Natasha looked at him.
"He's worse than Loki," Clint spoke. "And that's not something I would usually say."
"It's not," Natasha looked at him and smiled. Clint looked at her and smiled. The two then went back to staring out into the night.
Loki grabbed Sigyn's hand. She who was looking away from him. "What has he done to you, I can only imagine." He whispered. Sigyn looked at him she then looked away. "I would never thought the monsters I belong to would look this enchanting." Sigyn looked up at him and tried to smile. "No don't. Save your strength. You are weakening enough as it is. I cannot let you do this to yourself even more. Closing the portal and doing all that you can to protect a Midgardian is enough for now." Sigyn closed her eyes, she passed out. Loki woke up her again. Sigyn breathed in heavy and her eyes were frantic. "I will not let you go into slumber, Glut. I will make sure you stay in your Jotun form as long as you can." He then squeezed her hand. She squeezed it back. His Jotun form kept hers there throughout the travel. "Is she safe?" Loki whispered. Sigyn's mouth soften and fanned her eyes. He let out a sigh of relief and kissed the top of her forehead. "I will never look at you the same ever again, Glut Angrboda, the Twin Flame." Sigyn gave him an understanding look.
They reached the Helicarrier. Loki was the first off of the helicopter. Thor and Steve came out to meet him along with several agents.
"This way," a few agents guided him through. Thor came in front of him to help clear the way. They led the group to lab area. Bruce had a gurney set up for her.
"This will not do," Loki looked at it. "She needs a place to use her powers without prying eyes." Everyone was curious what she looked like even him, but he would still respect her.
"Here," Tony pushed a button. A slide door opened in the lab. "This is where we test certain weapons just in case they blow up on us."
Sigyn used her free hand to pat Loki. He looked down to her. She wanted to walk in there by herself. Loki let her down, how could he not obey her, though he would still have a hold of her for stability. Sigyn felt the pain of the magic. She unclasped her cloak to reveal herself. There were a few gasps. In the reflection, Sigyn could see the jewels glowing, draining of her energy, making her become weak. She thought this would happen. Sigyn started to walk away from Loki and the rest step by step. She kept herself poised as she walked into the small space. She did not look back. Once she was finally in there, Bruce pushed the button to close the door. There was no glass window to see inside. She was in metal cylilander.
"She's going to need clothes," Bruce piped up. One of the agents there left to head to her room to get the proper attire.
Sigyn breathed out a shallow sigh. She let all of her emotions finally catch up with her. Her eyes started to glisten with tears yet she shook them away to show full of rage and determination. She closed her eyes and let the blue flame rise from her skin all over her body.
Starting from her toes, the blue flame licked up her entire body. Her blue skin started to glow with the flame. The jewels' chains did not break but the cloth upon her turned to ash.
Outside the monitor was showing how hot it was getting in there. The Avengers, Loki, Nick, Jack, and a few agents watched the monitor. No one spoke anything. The room was filled with silence. Tony had a couple of jokes but knew it was too serious. Once her body was enveloped fully, Sigyn opened her eyes, a burst of red flung the jewels and chains against the cylinder. The pieces clanged against the sides and rained down. She let the red flame vanish. The automatic sprinkler system came on. It rained down upon her naked body. She liked the coolness on her it. She let her tears flow down her cheeks. Soft cries started to escape her lips as her hands rubbed around the areas where Malekith's hands lingered and touched. The water stopped falling. She used her red flame to dry her body. She kept it a very low flame.
The door opened to the cylinder. Sigyn had almost forgotten about where she was. She quickly switched to her Jotun form and started to hide her body with her limbs and hands. No one was there. The Avengers and crew had given her privacy. On the table next to the cylinder was a gown and veil of emerald green. She wanted to cry in joy for such a simple thing. Sigyn put it on and as the she smoothed out her dress she told the rest that she was presentable.
"The jewels did not perish under my flame," Sigyn explained. "Though they are still in your room for flames."
Bruce and some agents went to the cylinder to examine the jewels and to put them safely away from others.
"I guess I was right on one thing," Tony crossed his arms. "So Glut is the Twin Flame. I knew you had to be two of three. Well now that you are back, I believe we can rest easy until Malekith finds that his precious is gone."
"How long do you think it will take him?" Steve pondered.
"Not long," Sigyn became grim. "Though now he can attack anytime once he gets the portal open again."
"That buy's us time, good," Tony started thinking. "Now that we know our enemy, Bruce and I have work to do. The rest of you can go unless you want to have the jolly green giant to come out again."
The rest of the group diffused out of the room parting their ways. Nick talked to her. He was happy to have her back. Jack full on hugged her while telling her that she should not ever do that again. Sigyn laughed a bit. Thor hugged her as well. The two talked for a while. In an hour or so, he let her go to find some slumber. Loki walked along beside her to make sure she got to her room safely. They made it halfway there until Sigyn crumbled down to the floor. Loki caught her before she could hurt herself. Sigyn tried to get up but her energy was not bouncing back.
"Let me," Loki picked her up and carried her to the room. There he set her down on the bed.
"Thank you," her voice was soft and genuine. Loki left her alone. Sigyn curled onto her bed and fell into slumber.